


queen of love and beauty

by salazarastark



Series: Joanna [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/M, R plus L equals J
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-29
Updated: 2015-03-04
Packaged: 2018-01-10 10:31:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1158600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/salazarastark/pseuds/salazarastark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stannis doesn't want to marry Ned Stark's legitimate bastard daughter. Joanna doesn't want to marry the King's somber younger brother. Neither can deny Robert though.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Stannis I

**Author's Note:**

> A fill for the ASoIaF kink meme: GirlJon/Stannis AU
> 
> When Selyse dies Robert tells his brother he's going to find him a new young pretty wife
> 
> Stannis is not impressed when this turns out to be Ned Stark's legitimized bastard but marries her as commanded but sends her to Dragonstone to keep her away from Robert.
> 
> On a visit home he finds much more welcoming chambers, a happier daughter and a younger brother willingly visiting,he takes time to get to know Jon and by the time he returns to court his wife is expecting.
> 
> When their child is born Lord Arryn is very interested in the fact the baby has thick black hair...
> 
> Bonus points for R+L=J - Stannis finds out when Robert dies that GirlJon's father was Rhaegar who had taken Lyanna as another wife. So his claim to the throne is strengthened by his wife and houses who declare for him as his wife is a Targaryen Princess.
> 
> Beated by the wonderful L_Cloudy.

The girl was only fourteen. She was only five years older than his own daughter and that's why Stannis couldn't blame Ned Stark for once as the other man glared at both him and Robert.

The girl, Joanna, _was_ beautiful. Long, wavy brown hair with a single blue rose that held her hair back. He could see the intelligence in her darting gray eyes, smooth pale skin, full red lips, delicately angular features, and the simple, low-cut dress she was wearing did nothing to hide the shape of her body, already that of an adult woman's. She was the pinnacle of Northern beauty and, while Stannishad never met LyannaStark, now he could truly see why Robert and Rhaegar had waged a war over her. Even if she'd been only half as beautiful as her niece, it would have been enough.

That must have been why Robert had stared at the girl for a full minute after he stepped off his horse, as if he would take her in front of all of Winterfellthen and there, Stannis knew even before Ned Stark had pointedly cleared his throat.

And that might be why the girl was tightly gripping her half-brother's hand, tightly as the boy gave the Stark glare through Tully blue eyes at both Robert and himself.

Stanniswondered who between the two of them scared the girl more, and he surprised himself by hoping it was Robert. He actually wanted her to like him as much as she possibly could, considering that he was of an age with her father (and looked even older), and that she had just met and yet, soon he would become her husband.

Stannis had a feeling Robert wasn't even registering in her mind.

He shook himself of his thoughts. He had stared at the girl throughout them and she had just gripped her brother's hand tighter. After all, it was all she could do.

His brother and Stark had gone down to the crypts to visit the tomb of Lyannaand everyone else was getting settled into Winterfell. The girl turned around and went into the castle without even glancing behind her, her siblings following to probably comfort her on her dreaded nuptials, though they all turned around to glance at the man who would soon be their good-brother.

Stanniswould have like to say that he had not wanted this marriage, but that wasn't true. It had been two years since Selysehad died and even Stannis himself had started to think he might need to marry again. The girl was younger than he would have liked, but she was beautiful and could more than likely bear a son or two.

Robert had thought he was doing Stannisa favor by giving a beautiful young wife, and Stark a favor by legitimizing his bastard and a chance to give birth to sons that could inherit Dragonstone, as disappointing as it might be. Robert had not thought about the fact that Stannisdidn't want a fourteen year old for a wife and or that Stark didn't want someone only two years younger than him for his daughter. Stannisknew that if it had been Renly, Stark wouldn't be complaining. Stannisknew that for once, it should beRenly.

That was probably why Ned had said that the girl should bemarried in Winterfellin front of its weirwoodtree, likely hoping that Robert would disregard the idea of it. Robert just brought half the court to Winterfellto witnesses the marriage along with his family. Stannishimself had just brought Shireen and Davos.

Shireen. She hadn't said much about what she thought of gaining a step-mother that was more of an age to beher sister, but then again Shireendidn't say much to him, or anyone for that matter. Stannis sighed. He could feel a headache coming on and he needed to talk to Davos.

"She's a pretty girl," Davos said weakly when Stannistracked him down, finding Davos putting his things away in the room he had been given in Winterfell, which had turned out to bejust across from Stannis' own room. "Just get a few sons on her and treat her kindly and you might even be somewhat happy."

"Will she be though?"

Davos sighed. "Perhaps. At the very least, she won't complain, m'lord. She knows how lucky she is."

Stannis shook his head. "I don't want a wife who doesn't complain because she's lucky, I want a wife who doesn't complain because she's happy."

Davos gave him a weak smile. "I'm afraid you might have to take what you can get."

Stannis narrowed his eyes, wondering exactly how to get the girl to like him. Perhaps he should stop calling her the girl.

"That would probably be a good idea," Davos muttered.

Stannis frowned, partly at Davos and partly at himself. At that moment he desperately wanted to tell Robert that the wedding had to stop. He knew that at least Ned Stark would agree.

But Robert never would. All Robert would do was to laugh and drink, and slapping him on the back and telling him he just had cold feet; and then telling Stark he had to accept the fact that his daughter was a woman and old enough to marry.

"You could talk to her," Davos said.

Stannis stared at him, confused. "What?"

"You don't want her to bescaredof you tomorrow, or at least less scared, talk to her. Ask her what she likes and doesn't like, what her siblings are like, what's her direwolf's name. At the very least, what harm could it do?"

Stannis didn't want to find out. Sighing, he left Davos' room. He had to admit that Davos had a good point. For the girl to stop being terrified of him, she had to get to know him. For him to stop seeing her as simply 'the girl', he had to get to know her.


	2. Robb I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for all the comments and kudos!

Robb hated StannisBaratheon. The man was far too old to bemarrying Joanna, and the way he had looked at her when his father and the King were greeting each other had been incredibly inappropriate. Though the King himself had been worse with his looks, so Robb hated him too; and he was trying to figure out how exactly he would demand his father to let him go with Joanna to Dragonstone because who knows what either of them might try to do to her.

Joanna had been terrified, though she had put on a brave face, but she had gripped his hand so tightly when everyone had arrived at Winterfell that Robb had started to lose feeling in it.

Joanna had disappeared as soon as it had been proper for her to leave, to the place she always liked to go when she was stressed and depressed, though Robb had no clue where exactly it was. Bran was the only one who knew where that was, and he would never tell.

Robb still would have lied to Stannisthough. The man had found Robb in the armory and had abruptly asked where his sister was, if he could speak to her before they were marriedtomorrow. Robb liked to think the man looked nervous, though that could just be a trick of the light. He didn't trust the man. He hadn't heard much about StannisBaratheon, but he heard much about the King from his father's own mouth (mainly eavesdropping on his parent's conversation, but that just made the informationmore reliable) and if Stannis was anything like him, Jo would have a babe in her belly before sundown.

Stannis frowned and asked dubiously, "So you truly don't know where your sister is?"

"No. When Jo wants to disappear, she does. Besides, why do you really want to talk to her?" Robb asked. He wanted to watch the man squirm as he muttered his excuse again.

Instead, Stannis looked angry at the implications of Robb's words. "Like I said," the man's words gritted through his teeth, "I want to get to know her at least a bit before we marry."

Robb still didn't trust the man, but he wasn't seeing the resemblance to his brother anymore. He still didn't relax his stance though.

"What if she doesn't want to know you?" Robb asked.

Stannisnarrowed his eyes. "If that's truly her decision, I accept it. If that's your decision, then I don't. I don't intend for my wife to bea pretty, young ornament as it seems you are so afraid of, and what Robert probably plans her to be. She is to be my wife and mother to my children, I respect her for that alone. I want to find other thing's to respect her for."

Robb couldn't deny that the man's words rang true. He sighed. "I don't know where she is. Only Bran does and I don't know where he is except that he's probably climbing. Go to the Godswood and be under the heart tree. The moment I find Joanna, I'll bring her to you."

Stannis nodded. "Thank you."

Robb muttered, "You're welcome," as he tried to remember the newest place Bran found to explore.

He found Bran quicker than he thought he would, not climbing around surprisingly, but playing with Summer by the sept.

"Bran!" Robb shouted. His younger brother looked up and then with a smile, ran over to Robb. "Bran, where's Jo?"

The smile slid right off Bran's face and he looked down at the ground. "Not telling. She told me not to tell anyone."

Robb sighed. "Yes, I know. But Lord Baratheon wants to talk to her and actually wants to try to make her feel comfortable about this marriage. I don't like him anymore than you do Bran."

Bran shuffled the ground. "I don't want her to go."

Robb knew that. None of them wanted Joanna to go, but she and Bran were especially close and he was taking her marriage harder than the rest of them. "I don't either. But we should give her the chance ofa happy marriage and that starts with her and Lord Baratheon talking."

Bran spoke the words, "I could be a squire," so softly that Robb barely heard.

Robb was caught off guard by those words. "What?"

"I could be a squire. There are knights on Dragonstone, right? So I could be the squire for one of them. Father mentioned something about me going to Vale, but I would rather be with Jo."

It was actually a good idea. Father _had_ been talking about how it was time that he needed to find a knight for Bran to squire for, and this way Bran and Joanna both would have family around. Father would agree to it and Mother would accept it.

"I'll talk to Lord Baratheon. But first, find Jo. I'll be right here."

Bran nodded and ran off to find Joanna, Summer following right behind him. Robb sighed as he watched him go. He really didn't want Joanna to marry StannisBaratheon. He didn't care how good a marriage this was. Joanna didn't want it and that was all that mattered.

Robb loved Joanna just as much as he loved Sansaand Arya and he hated it when people couldn't seem to understand that. She was his sister and that was all that mattered. They had been best friends ever since they were little, and even when Theonhad come to Winterfell and mocked Robb for having his younger, bastard sister for a best friend, Robb couldn't bring himself to care.

Joanna was always the first one to give you a hug and the last one to leave you when you were down and Robb loved her for it. Everyone loved her for it. Even Theon, who stopped teasing Robb after Joanna had been the first and only person to ask him what the Iron Islands were like and what his family had been like.

Robb hated thatshe had to marry StannisBaratheon, trying as he may be. She deserved so much better.

After a few minutes, Bran and Joanna were walking slowly towards Robb, Summer and Ghost tailing behind them, discussing something that brought a smile on Joanna's face. Robb was glad. Ever since the news came, it had been hard to make her smile. Only Bran had been able to make her, and that had only happened once or twice. Sansahad gotten her to smile when she told Joanna when she was Queen, Joanna would always be around; but it was so incredibly sad that Sansadid not make another mention of her betrothal to Prince Joffery. That had been another thing to come of this trip and Robb found himself hating that idea as badly as this one. The prince was a little shit, that much was clear, but at least he wasn't twice Sansa's age.

Joanna sighed as she came to stop right in front of him. A sad smile like the one she had given Sansa graced her face. "Let's go, Robb. I don't want my future husband to think I cannot accept his kind gestures."


	3. Joanna I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the love! Next chapter might be a while, but hopefully not to long a wait. :)

Ever since Joanna had been a little girl, LyannaStark had brought her comfort. The statue of her aunt in the crypts of Winterfellhad always calmed Joanna when she was young, always made her feel safe ever since she discovered it when she was five. So, whenever Joanna felt angry or sad or numb; she would just go to the statue of Lyanna Stark and talk. Often about nothing, sometimes about everything.

She had never told any of her siblings about this place, wanting it to be _hers_ only. Bran had only found out because he'd followed her one day, and Joanna was grateful that he had never told anyone and never disturbed her when she was with their aunt. Today, coming to tell her that StannisBaratheon wanted to speak to her, was the first time he had ever done so.

She had been surprised when Bran appeared and even more surprised when he started speaking.

"Robb wants me to tell you that Lord Stannis wants to talk to you."

Joanna had been terrifiedthe minute she had learned that not only she was going to bemarried, she was going to bethe King's good-sister. Her father had been furious when the letter had arrived, one of the few times she had ever seen him like that, telling Lady Catelynover and overthat the King had no right to have done this. Lady Catelynhad been kind to her that day, finding out all her favorite foods and having the cooks make them for dinner. She had been legitimized too, according to that letter, but the news brought her no joy like it would have had any other period in time.

Her terror had simply grown as she waited until her soon-to-be husband along with his family and half the court would arrive at Winterfell. She had heard many things from Lady Catelynand Septa Mordane about pleasing her husband and making him happy, and though she aimed to try to do it, a small rebellious part had wondered if her happiness mattered at all.

Whenever Joanna went down to the crypts to see LyannaStark since she had heard the news, she wondered if that's why she had run off with RhaegarTargaryen, because he made her feel like her happiness mattered. Sometimes Joanna wished for a RhaegarTargaryen of her own.

"What?" Joanna asked Bran.

Yes," Bran nodded. "Apparently he wants to get to know you a little bit before the wedding happens."

Joanna did not expect StannisBaratheonto be like his brother, but she did not think that he would want to talk and get to know her.

Joanna looked into her aunt's face. "I'll come see you one last time," she promised before she got up to meet Lord Stannis. "One last time before I go." Joanna then turned away and walked out of the crypts, Bran, Summer, and Ghost by her side.

"I want to come with you," Bran said suddenly as they made their way back to Robb. "I want to come to Dragonstone."

Joanna sighed. "I want that too, Bran, but I don't think it will be possible."

"Yes it can! I'm going to bea squire. I'll ask Father and he'll ask Lord Stannisand Lord Stanniswill find a great knighton Dragonstone to take me on."

Joanna smiled despite herself. Father would ask Lord Stannisif he knew that was what both she and Bran wanted, but she worried that Lord Stannis would say no. She had heard he was a gruff man. But then again, he did want to talk to her so maybe there was hope. "Perhaps. Ask Father."

"I will," Bran said with relish and Joanna hoped beyond what she thought it was possible to hope that Bran would become a squire to some great knighton Dragonstone.

She sighed as she stood in front of Robb, and she smiled again. "Let's go, Robb. I don't want my future husband to think I cannot accept his kind gestures."

Robb smiled back bitterly. Joanna thought that her siblings were more furious about her upcoming marriage than she was. Well, her siblings with the exception ofSansa. Sansajust seemed to feel pity when she managed to feel anything but happiness over her betrothal to Joffrey. Joanna wasn't furious though. She was numb with a touch of righteous, rebellious anger buried somewhere deep inside her.

He held out his arm for her to take. As she did so, Robb told Bran, "Go find Father and ask him about becoming a knight. Make sure you mention Joanna and wanting to protect her at least three times. He'll know you're playing him, but he'll still fall for it."

Joanna smiled. Robb had a point. Father couldn't resist her, Sansa, and Arya when they wanted something. Bran nodded and ran off.

She and Robb began to walk toward the Godswood, where he told her StannisBaratheon would be.

"How are you feeling?" he asked after a moment of silence.

Joanna bit her lip. The numbness that she had felthad started to wear off and now she felt angry and nervous and strangely, excited, now that she thought StannisBaratheonwouldn't be as horrible as she built him up to be in her mind. She didn't know how to tell Robb that though, close as they might be. She decided to tell him, "I'm not sure." He would believe that.

Robb nodded, as she knew he would.

"If he hurts you in any way," Robb said, seriously. "Send a letter and you'll be back in Winterfell before you can blink."

Joanna laughed, the first time she had in weeks. It felt nice. Robb looked both pleased with himself for getting her to laugh and confused about why she was laughing. "I will," she told him, still chuckling. "Though there might not be much there after Bran gets ahold of him."

"There better not be!" Robb said with a smile and Joanna realized just how much she was going to miss her family. Even Lady Catelyn.

"I'll be fine Robb. You know that, right?"

Robb sighed. "I tell myself that, and I know you will be, but I still don't want you to go with a man Father's age. Why can't you marry someone else? The King has a brother closer to your age, why can't you marry him?"

Joanna had wondered that herself, but from what she had gathered about her father and others, the King didn't really like Stannis. The marriage to her might be considered a punishment for some slight and that just thawed some of the numbness that Joanna felt, turning it into anger.

She was starting to realize that she hated the king.

She wondered if his brother did, too.

They arrived at the Godswood, and Joanna saw her future husband standing over by the heart tree, his face stern; and she wondered what he was thinking. Robb whispered in her ear, "I'm going to stay here. I won't be able to hear anything you say, but if he does _anything_ then I'll come and stop it."

"I know." She took a deep breath and made her way over to the man who she would start sharing her life with tomorrow.

He looked up when she approached. "My Lord," she said, curtsying. "My brother said you wanted to speak to me."

"I did," said Lord Stannis, giving her a gruff nod for a greeting. "Ser Davos said I should ask you about yourself, and I decided to follow his advice."

"Ser Davos?" Joanna asked confused. She didn't recognize the name.

"Ser Davos Seaworth, sometimes called the Onion Knight," Lord Stannisanswered. "He's my closest confidant and I trust him my life, my daughter's life, and since you are soon to be my wife, your life."

Joanna made a mental note to find Ser Davos and speak to him. If he was Lord Stannis' closest confidant, then his nature would tell her a bit more about her husband.

"Well, what do you want to ask me about my Lord?" she asked.

"Are you happy with this marriage?"

Joanna stared at the man. Out of all the question she thought would be asked, this was not one of them. She didn't expect him to be so blunt.

"I-I could be," she stammered out.

"That's not what I asked. I could not do anything to convince Robert to change his mind about this marriage, so your opinion won't really matter anyway, but I still want to know.

"Are you happy with this marriage?"

Joanna only needed a second to think about her answer.

"I'm not happy. But I'm becoming happier."


	4. Shireen I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So for some reason I have not been able to contact my beta to go through this chapter, and therefore I apologize for any mistakes and things that might not make sense. If you spot anything, please point it out!

Shireen watched her soon to be stepmother walk to the weirwood tree on the arm of her father. Despite the fact that Uncle Robert had brought half the court with them to Winterfell, the actual marriage between Father and Joanna Stark did not have that many people attending. It was just the Baratheons and the Starks, with only a few friends there. Davos, standing next to her, was one of them.

Joanna Stark was a beautiful woman, and Shireen had a hard time believing that she was only five years older than her. She seemed so much more grown up and elegant than Shireen could ever hope to be at fourteen. She wondered what Joanna would be like and she wondered what her brother would be like.

Bran Stark was a couple years younger than her and was about to become Davos’s squire. Shireen had a hard time stopping her smile when she thought about the fact that she was actually going to have a chance to make a friend. She never had a real one, and she hoped that Bran Stark would be a good friend. He seemed like he would be. Shireen already liked all the Starks, more than her father’s family at least. The Starks smiled at each other often and Shireen could tell they were genuine.

Shireen wondered if one day the Starks might include her in their family. She wanted them to so badly. She hoped Bran and Joanna liked her, which could only help.

She wondered if Joanna would help her father smile more.

Soon enough, Joanna and Father had said their vows and Father removed Joanna’s grey and white maiden cloak with the Baratheon black and yellow, and Joanna Stark became Lady Joanna Baratheon.

Uncle Robert moved them all to the feast soon after, yelling for wine and meat like he usually did, though he kept stealing glances at Joanna whenever he thought someone wasn’t watching him. As soon as someone noticed him though, either Queen Cersei or Lord Stark made him turn away and they would both look even angrier at him.

Shireen ended up sitting between Joanna’s youngest sister, Arya, and Bran. Arya ignored her, seemingly intent in embarrassing the other Stark sister, Sansa, in front of Joffrey. Shireen wondered if she should tell Sansa that she was too good for Jofffrey who terrified her constantly, but she decided not to. She would tell Joanna, and she perhaps could tell her father to stop the marriage. Bran was making Rickon, the youngest Stark brother, laugh. No one seemed to notice Shireen.

The wedding feast was loud and wild, partially because of Uncle Robert and partially because of the Northerners who had arrived to celebrate the marriage between the king’s younger brother and their Lord Paramount’s eldest daughter. It scared Shireen, and she wondered if it scared Joanna too.

It didn’t seem like it did. Joanna had danced only one dance, the first one, with Shireen’s father, but afterwards had spent the night dancing with other men. Her brothers mostly, but she danced a couple songs with Uncle Renly and one with Loras Tyrell, the handsome knight that Uncle Renly had brought north with him. She had danced a few songs with her father and a few with some men from Winterfell or the North. Theon and Jory were the men she had danced more than one song with, and Shireen had heard their names from Joanna laughing and grapping their hands. Joanna even had danced with Davos and another with Ser Jaime, which made Queen Cersei furious. Joffery hadn’t danced with her though.

Shireen half-remembered her mother telling her once that ladies shouldn’t dance with men who weren’t their king, their lord, or their family or else people might get a feeling that something is going on.

Shireen didn’t get that feeling from Joanna. She just got the feeling that Joanna liked dancing.

Her new step-mother seemed to come alive when she was dancing.

Uncle Robert spent the night watching her though and Shireen felt more and more uneasy about his gaze. It eventually got to the point that where no one could grab his attention, and soon it seemed like the only one in the hall who didn’t realize it was Joanna.

Shireen sighed. Joanna just finished a song dancing with her brother Robb and as she smiled at something he said, her cousin Tommen came up to her with blushing cheeks to ask for a dance. Queen Cersei looked annoyed at her youngest son for trying to welcome his new aunt to the family. Joanna smiled sweetly at her new nephew and took his hand, but not before whispering something into Robb’s ear.

Shireen only had a minute to wonder what she said to him before Robb approached _her_. Smiling, he bowed and held out his hand. “May I have this dance, my Lady?”

Shireen could only nod her head as she took it and Robb Stark pulled her onto the floor. She felt a little thrill go through her when she noticed that Myrcella was sending her dirty looks from the table.

“How are you?” he asked as they began to dance, though it became clear immediately that he was the far superior dancer. Mainly because he actually knew how to dance. “Did you enjoy the wedding?”

“I-I liked it. Joanna was really beautiful.”

Robb grinned. “My sister always is.”

Shireen didn’t doubt that and glanced at Joanna. She looked so happy, not like she had at the wedding, and Tommen was gazing up at his new aunt like she hung the moon.

“What’s Dragonstone like?” he asked. Shireen bit her lip. Dragonstone was harsh, cold, and unforgiving, but it was also her home. She had lived there all her life and she honestly couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. She also knew that Robb was asking her this question because of his worry for Joanna.

“I like it,” she said slowly. “I think Joanna will too.”

Robb frowned. “I hope.”

The song ended, and Robb bowed. He kissed her hand and smiled before he headed back to Joanna, who was kissing Tommen’s cheek. Shireen headed back to the table with a smile on her face. Myrcella was still glaring at her. Shireen liked her cousin, but she couldn’t deny the fact that she was glad that she had the attention of a boy for once.

It made her feel pretty, at least tonight. Besides, Robb Stark was technically her uncle now, and he was handsome enough to get any girl in the Seven Kingdoms, so he would never look twice at her, even when she was Joanna’s age.

Shireen had just sat down when she felt someone tap her shoulder and she turned around to see Joanna. “Bran,” she said. “How about you go ask Myrcella to dance? I’ve hardly seen her dancing tonight!”

Bran rolled his eyes, but did as his sister asked. Joanna sat down in his spot.

“How are you doing?” Joanna asked, her gray eyes bright and wide and a smile on her face.

“I-I’m doing well,” Shireen began. “You’re an amazing dancer. Where did you learn to dance like that?”

Joanna shrugged, and for a minute, she didn’t seem years older than Shireen. “I’ve always loved dancing, more than anything. So I just did it all the time, with anybody I could and next thing I knew, I was good at it. What about you? Do you like dancing?”

“I don’t know,” Shireen said. “I’ve never really done it.”

Joanna leaned forward with smirk. “Well then, when we get to Dragonstone, I’ll teach you how to dance. No doubt you’ll become better than me in no time.”

Shireen smiled softly. She really liked Joanna. Her step-mother was about to say something else, but then Uncle Robert stood, clearly drunk and shouted, “Time for the bedding!” His eyes never left Joanna.

The smile left Joanna’s face quickly and for a moment, Shireen hated her uncle. She liked Joanna and she didn’t want her to stop smiling.

Still, Joanna stood up, her back straight as she made her way to front of the hall, where drunken men would be eagerly tearing away her clothes. Shireen noticed that the men from Winterfell were sober and watching the drunks carefully. It seemed like they didn’t want any sort of harm happening to Joanna. Lord Stark was watching the men with unreadable expression on his face and Robb looked more and more furious by the minute. Shireen looked down at the table. She didn’t want to watch this part, and the feast would start back up as soon as it was done anyway.

Then Bran Stark stood in front of her, looking incrediably nervous.

“I’m going to be Ser Davos’ squire,” he said suddenly.

“I-I know,” Shireen stammered out.

For a minute they stood in an awkward silence, with the only noise being the drunken appreciation of Joanna, but then Bran began talking again. “I like to climb. What are the best places to climb in Dragonstone?”

“I don’t really know,” Shireen said thoughtfully. “I’m not much of a climber. But I guess it would be fun to be one.”

“I can teach you. It’s fun. You feel so big and everything else seems so small.”

Shireen smiled at the thought of it. She liked the idea of not feeling small.


	5. Davos I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I'm back! Me and my mom had a marathon of Game of Thrones, and I got the plot bunny back. (Also, I thought I posted this chapter a year ago, so it's been sitting on my computer since last March. Still, I'm writing stuff for my other stories.)

Davos looked at the boy in front of him. Bran Stark met his gaze. He was a year younger than Davos’ son Stannis, and his new squire, and Davos had no idea what to do with the boy. This was the first time he had ever had a squire, and Davos wasn’t sure what he should talk about. What they should do.

Stannis had given his new good-brother a knight to squire under, but Stannis probably should have given him a good knight to squire under.

They were on board a ship, heading towards Dragonstone. Though the King and the rest of the court had decided to take the Kingsroad back to King’s Landing after Winterfell two weeks after the wedding, Stannis had opted to go to White Harbor and take a ship back to Dragonstone to drop off Joanna, Shireen, Davos, Bran, and some servants before heading to King’s Landing himself.

Bran was the first to speak. “Is Joanna going to be okay?” he asked with worry. Lady Joanna had been sick since the moment she had boarded _The Winter Rose_ , a beautiful ship that captained by a Dornishman man who apparently had a Northern for a mother.

“She’ll be fine, boy, it’s just a seasickness. She’ll be miserable for her entire time on the ship, but it’ll disappear as we get off.”

Bran nodded, but bit his lip. Clearly he was still worried about his sister. Lady Joanna was currently holed up in her room, probably sicker than the boy had ever seen her before. Davos had seen many a strong man come down with seasickness before, some taking it better than his new lady and other’s taking it worse.

“Shireen’s helping take care of her. There’s nothing wrong with your sister,” Davos told him. Shireen already adored her new step-mother, who in turn had been as sweet as could be to the girl. Davos liked Lady Joanna for that alone, as well as the fact that she was clearly trying to make her marriage to her new husband work. Stannis seemed to taking his advice and getting to know his young wife, though it was clear that he was still uncomfortable with her and her youth.

“I know,” Bran mumbled as he looked at his feet, kicking up imaginary dirt. “But Joanna never really gets sick. One time, right after Rickon was born, a sickness came to Winterfell and almost everyone got ill. All Joanna did though was sneeze twice.”

Davos doubted the truth of that statement, but he still felt like he needed to reassure Bran. “Seasickness isn’t like normal sickness. It’s only if your sister is still sick after this voyage that we have something to worry about.” How many times would he have to explain this?

Davos was saved from that number when he heard Stannis’ voice. “Davos.” Both he and Bran turned to look at the man, who had emerged from downstairs, presumably from Joanna’s room. Davos was slightly surprised. He couldn’t remember Stannis being so caring when he was married to Selyse. A required visit to the room yes, but Davos suddenly realized that he had not seen his lord for at least an hour and he knew that Stannis would not have stayed in Selyse’s cabins nearly so long if Stannis had truly been with Joanna this entire time.

He wondered if Stannis was actually coming to care for his young wife. He didn’t think it had anything to do with the fact that Stannis had been on the receiving end of at least five ‘Hurt her and you’re dead’ speeches last night. Five was all that Davos had seen at least. One from Ned Stark, one from a man called Jory, one from the Greyjoy hostage, one from the girl’s sister, the one with red hair, and one from the youngest Stark child, though that one had simply been three minutes of a glare and a growling direwolf. That had also been the only one that looked like it had any sort of impact on Stannis.

In all fairness to his lord, Davos had nightmares of that boy, who strangely was a cannibal in them.

“Why don’t you run along and see how your sister is?” he told Bran. “I’m sure she would be thrilled to see you.” It wasn’t like that would cut into valuable time with his new squire. Davos still didn’t know what to do with him. Fight?

As Bran ran towards his sister, Stannis walked briskly toward Davos. “How is she, m’lord?” Davos asked. Stannis sighed and looked out upon the narrow sea. He said something softly, so softly that Davos could not hear. “What?”

Stannis turned to look at him. “She thinks she’s pregnant.”

Davos raised an eyebrow. The girl was young, but still. . . . It was very possible. The girl did have five siblings, so the Starks were obviously fertile and she was old enough to get her monthly visitor as Marya liked to call it.

Stannis continued on. “She thought it was seasickness at first, but then she said that she started counting back the days. I only bedded her once, simply to consummate the marriage after the wedding, but she said that she should gotten her moon’s blood five days ago. She’s not positive, but she says that she has other symptoms that are signs of pregnancy.”

Davos didn’t even bother to ask what those symptoms were. Stannis probably didn’t even asked.

“That’s good news!” he said instead. “Hopefully it’ll be a boy, but even if it’s a girl, she’s obviously capable of having children.”

“So was Selyse, but only Shireen was strong enough to live,” Stannis replied curtly. “And there’s a good chance that she might not survive the birth anyway. Or something could happen to the babe. Or she could simply be off by a few days and not capable of having children.”

Davos sighed. “M’lord, I’m sure she’ll be fine. The reason why your brother picked her out is because she’s young to bear you healthy children.”

“My brother,” Stannis spat out bitterly, “picked her out because she looks exactly like the dead woman he claims he’s always loved, though she’s far too young to be married, but he does not care, and he choose me because he cannot put aside Cersei Lannister and Renly is betrothed to Margaery Tyrell though why he would want to marry Mace Tyrell’s daughter is far beyond me. He probably considers it good fortune that in certain lights, we look enough alike for him to pretend I’m him.”

Stannis brooded for a few minutes, simply looking at the water. “Why did she even tell me?” he asked Davos. “She’s not even sure.”

“I don’t think she has anyone else to tell, m’lord. Her brother or her step-daughter perhaps, but they are both young and might not understand her worry.”

Stannis sighed. “My brother is a fool and I’m a bigger one.”

Davos could think of nothing to say to that. He didn’t even know what Stannis meant by that, but the words seemed to weigh heavily on his mind. Davos’ heart went out towards Joanna Baratheon. The girl must be terrified. Davos knew about many childbirths that went wrong because of the mother’s youth and Joanna surely knew many more.

“I’m sure she’ll be fine, m’lord. She knew that she would need to have children at some point in your marriage.”

“I did not intend for her to have them now!” Stannis sighed and all his anger seemed to leave him. “I intended to consummate our marriage only and then in a few years come to her with the intention of creating a son.”

“What should I do?” he asked him and Davos tried hard to think of something, but only one answer came to mind. “Moon tea,” he told Stannis and Stannis blanched.

“What if she survives with her and the babe fine? What if it’s a boy?”

“What does she want to do?”

Stannis looked at the waves. “She said she wanted the babe, but what if that’s just what she thought I wanted to hear? What if she truly doesn’t?”

“Do you think she wants the babe?”

Davos had never Stannis sound small in his life. Angry, bitter, disappointed, yes. Small? Not until the words, “I hope she does.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment!


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